The Green Bay Packers’ need as this low season begins is not a lack of effort.
Over a four-year period between 2015 and 2018, the Packers used five first or second-round picks in the cornerback position, including four tips in the top 50. Of the five, only one – All-Pro Jaire Alexander – one touch. The others? Well, they represent the reason why cornerback remains a perennial need in Green Bay.
It wouldn’t be shocking if general manager Brian Gutekunst used another top-50 pick on a cornerback in April.
With four major misses, the position looks horrible going into the low season.
Kevin King, the team’s top pick in 2017, is looking for free agency after a disappointing fourth season that ended with disastrous performance in the NFC title game. He probably disappeared. Josh Jackson, 45th overall pick in 2018, has played no significant role since his rookie season and is well on his way to losing status, where he would join the 2015 first round Damarious Randall and 2015 second round Quentin. . Rollins.
Randall took 10 passes with the Packers, but was eventually traded in for a backup quarterback. He has been on three different teams for the past three years. Rollins showed great promise in Green Bay early on, but fell back sharply and has been out of football for over a year.
King was highly productive in 2019, intercepting five passes, but he has been injured throughout his time in Green Bay and never got above the replacement level as a starter.
Not only will the Packers likely need to find a new starter to play on the edge against Alexander in 2021, but the slot starter also looks insecure. Chandon Sullivan looked great as a # 4 cornerback in 2019, but was generally inconsistent as the top lock angle of the defense in 2020. The position is too important for the Packers not to add any kind of competition, especially given that Sullivan is a limited free agent.
The Packers tried to use Jackson in the slot. He had opportunities to play on the perimeter. Time and again the team has shown a reluctance to play against him. He’s been the field for just over 400 defensive snaps for the past two seasons, with seven healthy scratches and no meaningful contributions.
Cornerback is a premium position, and the Packers have treated it that way for a long time during draft. The problem is not the number of swings. It’s the number of misses. This team needs to get better at identifying talent from the corner through the design process or developing the talent once it’s in Green Bay. Somewhere there is a malfunction in the process.
Randall was the 30th pick in 2015. Rollins was 62nd in 2015. King was 33rd in 2017. Jackson was 45th in 2018. That’s a lot of design capital to see, especially in one position. The Packers really should have one of the deepest corner back groups in football. Instead, they will have to use more design capital – or precious salary limit dollars – in a new effort to restore the position in the coming months.